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They believe Nakai was either bitten by one of the other whales or smashed into the concrete pool wall.

Journalist
Tim Zimmermann reported: 'It happened last week during a night show,
seemingly during a major altercation involving Nakai, Keet, and Ike.

'It’s not clear if there was an aggressor or instigator, or if they all suddenly went after each other.

'In
response to the altercation, Nakai split to the back pool. The onstage
trainers, not realizing how badly injured he was, continued the show
with the other whales.

'It was only when they called Nakai over later that night that they realised he was seriously hurt.'

Animal
welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has
submitted a complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

They have accused SeaWorld of housing Killer Whales together incompatibly - a direct violation of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

Injury: Killer whale Nikai is kept at SeaWorld San Diego. A spokesman for the park said he was injured after hitting the side of the tank

Injury: Nikai is seen leaping clear of the water during a performance at San Diego SeaWorld

A
spokesman for the group said: 'The AWA makes it clear that marine
mammals that are not compatible must not be housed in the same
enclosure.

'Yet SeaWorld
parks have a long history of housing incompatible orcas from widely
divergent groups together in enclosures - and the result has been
stress, agitation, aggressive and bloody raking, serious injury, and
death.'

In a
statement, a spokesman for the park said: 'There is no organisation in
the world more committed to the physical, social and mental welfare of
its animals than SeaWorld.'

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They said Nikai is being treated with antibiotics and had been 'swimming comfortably and interacting with other killer whales'.

In February 2010 trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by six-ton killer whale Tilikum, who is Nikai's father, at SeaWorld's Orlando park.

The six ton whale dragged the 40-year-old into the pool by her pony tail and then thrashed her while she was in the water, as horrified spectators looked on.

Killed: Nikai's father Tilikum is seen with trainer Dawn Brancheau. The whale dragged her
into the pool by her pony tail and then thrashed her while she was in
the water, as horrified spectators looked on

Banned: No trainer is allowed in the water with Tilikum because of his size and dangerous history

It was the third death Tilikum had been involved in. In 1991 trainer Keltie Byrne died after slipping and falling into the tank with Tilikum and two other whales.

In 1999, a man sneaked past security at SeaWorld Orlando and was later found dead, his body draped over Tilikum.

Earlier this year Peta diled a lawsuit against San Diego SeaWorld claiming that the five killer whales at the are treated like slaves because they're forced to live in tanks and perform daily.

The five whales were named as the plaintiffs in the case.

However a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit saying the 13th amendment - which outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude - applies only to humans.